Thursday, 31 July 2008

Well we are still having Monsoon weather here, its been chucking it down all day again. Checked under Warriors rug this morning, to make sure he's still clean! No way was I washing him again today. Luckily, he was. Meant to say the other day, that I used the jet wash on him on Tuesday, tried it on my skin before using it on him, he loved it, talk about deep clean, you ought to have seen the dirt that came out of his coat. I started off using buckets of warm water to wet his coat and then shampooed him, rinsed him with warm water again, but he still looked a bit grubby. So again wet his coat with warm water and shampoo, then jet washed it off on the lowest setting. I've seen others use Jet washes on Cattle and big Horses so thought I'd give it a go. It's the cleanest he's ever been..Wim our Vet called in today to remeasure Neo for me. When he had his Stallion assessment I was sure that Wim said he was 33 inches, but the passport says 35 & half inches. Thought a mistake had been made. Wim is Dutch so sometimes its confusing with the accent and he works in centimetres. Anyway the measurement on the passport is correct. So Neo is a Midi...Took these pictures the other day of Archie & Aphrodite playing together... Measured Aphrodite the other day, well the inside of her front leg, to the arm pit, then you double it, been told this will give us a rough idea of how big they grow. She is exceptionally tiny, her measurement was 12ins, so should make 24ins. When it stops raining going to try it with Apollo and Archie...I'll let you know if it works.

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

Went to Cardigan Show today. The weather was appalling chucking it down with rain, so no pictures today, but still a really good turn out considering. Took Warrior, he was entered in the 2 or 3 year old class and got 2ND place. Bless his heart, he wasn't impressed with the driving rain and the wind blowing straight in his face. Think we were both glad to get back to the trailer. I looked like a drowned rat! Can't believe the weather we are having in the West. Rang Cousin Micky when we got home, to let him know how we did and he said the Sun was blazing at their place.. (Please send some over here!).We have another show on Friday at Fishguard, with another two shows next week.

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

Been busy outside today, picking up pooh in the paddocks and pulling more bloody Ragwort.The Foals are really changing, Apollo's patches are turning from Black to Grey! Aphrodite has also got patches of Grey in her coat, which was Cream Dun & White, the only one who's stayed the same colour is Arcemedes. Took some pictures this afternoon, the Foals all crashed out together in the field. They don't stray very far from each other.

Sunday, 13 July 2008

Yesterday we went to our local show at Tivy-Side. Took Warrior & Min. No Miniature classes just Shetlands. I'd entered Min in the Best Barren Mare or Gelding, 4 years and over. She got 2ND place. Warrior was entered in Best 2 or 3 year old Colt, Filly or Gelding, he also got 2ND place. We then went into the Championships. Harry had to come in the ring with me as I couldn't manage the 2 ponies on my own. Warrior won the Perpetual Challenge Cup for the Best Coloured Shetland. Why to go Warrior.. So came home with three rosettes and a cup. Harry has now decided that he wants to show the ponies. Looks like I'm going to have to get him properly rigged out for next year.Well done Min & Warrior you did me proud...

Monday, 7 July 2008

I've been putting it off, but today I've emailed Gerry Hart at shetland-pony.com (link in my side bar) to put the Foals up for sale. I really hope, someone really special comes along for these Foals, especially Aphrodite as she has stolen my heart. God, its going to be really hard to let her go. If your a regular reader of my blog you'll know why. But if they don't, well they will stay here. I'll just have to see what the response is like. I know lots of people that use Gerry's site and it comes highly recommended. Bev & Micky used it to sell Blenheim Badger. I'm always popping over there to see what the latest news is and of course looking at all the Ponies that are up for sale. We are keeping little Apollo to run on as I hope he will turn out to be a potential Stallion for us and he carries our Stud name. I'll keep you updated on the response.

Sunday, 6 July 2008

Was supposed to be going to a big show today, but after waking up at 5.30am and seeing the rain, decided to roll over and go back to sleep.Cleared the horse trailer out today, and gave it a good scrub out. Could do with getting the jet wash out and doing the outside as well. Got loads of mud splatter up the outside.Should have put Warriors rug back on yesterday, cause when I mucked him out this morning he'd had a roll in his poo and now has stains on his white bits. We have another big show this weekend, taking Warrior and Min. Lets hope the rain holds of for that one.

Saturday, 5 July 2008

Went off to the show today with Warrior. Bless him he doesn't like going in the trailer.Just before we went in the ring at 11.30am the heavens opened and needless to say me and Warrior got a good soaking. I could feel the water trickling down my back. The rain then stopped, while we were in the ring. Warrior got 1st in the Yearling, Two or Three year old class. We then went into the Championships, but wasn't placed. Considering there were no miniature classes and he was up against Standard Shetlands, he did amazingly well. Well done Warrior, I'm so proud of you.

Friday, 4 July 2008

I've spent a good part of the day, giving Warrior & Min bathes. We are supposed to be going to a local show tomorrow and then another big show on Sunday. Although that really depends on the weather. The trouble if it rains, the fields get soaked and the trailer and Jeep sink in the mud. At Tivy Side last year they had to pull the lorries in and out.Started with Warrior, who was a bit unsure at first about all the bubbles, but soon got used to it. He's never had a bath before, you ought to have seen the dirt that came out of his coat. He especially liked being rubbed down with a big soft fluffy tail. Then got Min out of the field and gave her a good scrub, she's used to being bathed so doesn't bat an eyelid. Their both rugged up, in the stables now drying out. Needless to say I was soaked through by the time I'd finished. Looks like I finished just in time cause its started raining.

Wednesday, 2 July 2008

Our Blacksmith Tomos came at 8.30am this morning to do the Ponies hoofs again. Warrior was his normal laid back self, Kai on the other hand performed like a true Stallion. Got Tomos to look at little Aphrodite's back hoofs, as they have grown so long. Tomos trimmed them but said the front was OK. She looks so much better now, more upright. Tomos said its quite common for foals to have tight tendons, but he could see a vast improvement from his last visit. She was so well behaved, its the first time she's had a head collar on, she wasn't sure at first, but then behaved impeccably. Bless her heart I love that foal... Tomos checked Apollo and Archie but said they were both OK and didn't need doing. Athena was a right little Madam and threw her self on the floor, so Tomos trimmed her hoofs while she laid there. She then stood up to have the back ones trimmed and then decided she's rather sit down and literally sat like a dog on the floor. It would have made the perfect picture, but trying to hold the camera and a pony and take a picture is nigh on impossible.We are supposed to be at two shows this weekend, but the weather forecast isn't looking that good. Rain all weekend with severe weather warnings. Where's the Summer gone...Had my newsletter from the Shetland Pony Stud Book Society this morning. Noticed that as from 1st January 2009, no passports will be issued to any pony/foal unless it has been micro chipped. States full details will be included in the next news letter. So have no idea whether we will be able to buy the chips from Shetland House and get the vet to insert them, or whether we will have to get the Vet to supply and Microchip the Ponies. I know that at my Vet's it costs £23.00 for a Microchip. Then on top of that, its the call out charge, plus the fees for the passports. Looks like its going to cost a pretty penny next year, to have the Foals registered. Had previously read an article stating that all Equines as from next year will need a chip, and have to be DNA'd at birth, but for the life of me can't remember where I saw it. Its a new EU regulation. Lets hope all this extra cost will be reflected in the prices at the Horse Sales. You can buy a horse in Wales, cheaper then you can buy a pedigree puppy. I hate to think what some unscrupulous breeders might do, especially if they have lots of Colts. It doesn't bear thinking about.

Tuesday, 1 July 2008

Spoke to Chris yesterday at Lotuspoint, catching up on each others foals. She kindly sent me a picture of Lotuspoint Pearl with Pearly Girl as a foal. Thanks Chris...Got the blacksmith coming early in the morning to do the ponies feet again. Going to get Tomos to have a look at Aphrodites hoofs, as they have grown really long. Hopefully, he will be able to trim them up a bit for me.Spoke to Karen this afternoon, general Horsey chat.This evening I spoke to Eileen Yaxley of the Donabi Stud. I wanted to know if Birchwood Shamrock had been DNA tested. Eileen gave me the link to her web, so will add it to my links this evening. Was nice to speak to you Eileen if your reading this and thank you for the info..Have decided that I'm definitely selling Yum Yum... To many colts here.Also had an email from Debbie, if you remember we went half's each on the DNA test for Goytre Edward. Well Debbie's got her passport back and the DNA is OK. What a relief that was, just waiting for Neo's passport to come back now.